Kings Recall Erik Portillo From AHL Ontario After Darcy Kuemper Illness

Erik Portillo was recalled by the Los Angeles Kings from the AHL’s Ontario Reign on March 2, 2026, in an emergency move that also brought defenseman Jacob Moverare up to the NHL roster. Ontario announced the recall as emergency depth after starting netminder Darcy Kuemper was ruled out of at least one game because of health issues, and Portillo was summoned to provide coverage.

Reports conflict on the nature of Kuemper’s problem. Team reporter Zach Dooley said Kuemper “is set to miss at least tonight’s game… with an illness,” while other reports noted Kuemper left Wednesday’s game in Colorado early with an undisclosed injury and that the club expected an update after practice. No definitive medical diagnosis or timetable for his return was provided in the team’s public comments.

Portillo, 25, arrives in Los Angeles with an established AHL track record and a growing professional résumé. Born September 3, 2000 in Gothenburg, Sweden, the 6-foot-6 goaltender was drafted 67th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2019 and was traded to the Kings at the 2023 deadline. He signed a two-year entry-level contract on April 22, 2023 and later inked a three-year deal with Los Angeles on August 25, 2024 that runs through the 2026-27 season.

His recent box scores for Ontario show why the Kings turned to him. Ontario’s game reports list a 19-save performance on 21 shots in a 4-2 win over Tucson and a 22-of-27 save night in a 5-4 overtime loss in which Portillo recorded his first AHL assist. Another report cited a 23-of-24 outing in a 4-1 win over Tucson; the different accounts preserve the raw fact that Portillo has been handling a heavy workload and delivering key saves in multiple outings.

Season and career numbers vary across outlets. Ontario Reign media credits Portillo with 24 games last season and a 15-5-3 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and .889 save percentage, and lists his career AHL totals at 65 games with a 40-16-7-2 record, 2.65 GAA and .907 save percentage. Other coverage notes a .918 save percentage across 39 professional games in 2023-24 and early 2024-25 lines of 4-2-0 with a 2.68 GAA and .906 SV% in six appearances. Those discrepancies reflect different sample windows reported by team and media outlets.

Portillo also has a brief NHL history. He made his Los Angeles debut on November 29, 2024 in a 2-1 win at Anaheim; accounts differ on the exact saves total (28 vs. 29), and one report notes his skate blade dislodged during the third period, forcing David Rittich into net for 1:23 before Portillo returned.

Kings general manager Rob Blake praised Portillo’s AHL work, saying the organization saw “good things” and that Portillo played “very, very well” at that level. Portillo himself has spoken of wanting to “level up” between seasons. The recall follows a flurry of roster moves earlier in late February and underscores how the club is juggling goaltending depth while Kuemper’s status is clarified.

For Ontario, the timing is immediate: the Reign list home dates against the Henderson Silver Knights and the Colorado Eagles in the coming days, and Portillo’s movement will alter nearby starts and ticket plans for Toyota Arena. In Los Angeles, Portillo is now on the NHL roster as the club awaits the promised update on Kuemper after practice and prepares for its next game.